The Sandy Park side have endured a poor run of form since the turn of the year, especially by their own high standards, losing five out of eight games in all competitions.

Saturday’s last-gasp victory over Northampton Saints arrested a sequence of three straight league losses, which included surprise defeats at Newcastle Falcons and at home to Worcester Warriors.

It is not all bad – Saturday’s win saw them return to the top of the Premiership, and they could boast as much as a nine-point lead over second-placed Saracens come Saturday after the two meet at Sandy Park.

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And director of rugby Baxter urged fans to remember that, while recent performances have not been up to scratch, maintaining high standards throughout a season is a challenge for any team.

“Our foot probably has come off the pedal in recent weeks,” he conceded.

“But as long as we can get it back on there this weekend it won’t be an issue.

“At the end of the day, we got a great start to the season and considering how much we put in, there was probably always the likelihood of having a drop-off. People need to remember how well we played and what we put into it.

“That level of intensity and quality was always going to be hard to maintain throughout the season. This could be that little drop-off that means we pick up and go again. It could be a very positive force heading into the closing stages of the season.”